Integrated circuits are becoming smaller, more compact, and more crowded as time goes by. More and more electronic components are formed and positioned within a given area so that smaller devices are possible, including smaller memory cells and interconnects used to operate the memory cells. However, as electronic components are positioned closer together, the close proximity can induce unwanted effects. An electrical current flowing through a conductor produces a magnetic field, and a fluctuating magnetic field produces an electrical current in a conductor within that fluctuating magnetic field. As such, when electronic components are positioned too close together, the magnetic field produced by one component induces a current in the next, and a phenomenon known as “cross talk” occurs. This cross talk can be between interconnects, contacts, or other components. The close proximity and reduced size can also increase resistance and capacitance, which can cause a signal delay for current flowing through a conductor. Furthermore, the power required to operate an integrated circuit can be increased as sizes become smaller, and in some cases about 50 percent of the power consumed by an integrated circuit is lost by the interconnects.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits with more efficient use of the space available, and methods for producing the same. In addition, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits with relaxed design rules so interconnects and/or other components may have larger dimensions and increased separation from neighboring components without increasing the overall size of the integrated circuit, and methods of producing the same. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present embodiment will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.